Death… and me

"Good sword?" Chu Yang was startled in his heart. The expression in his eyes immediately became sharp. He then calmly looked at Tan Tan, and slowly asked, "Who are you?"

These few words had allowed Chu Yang to detect that this man wasn't Tan Tan. After all, Tan Tan would never speak such words to Chu Yang in this way.

"The meaning of a good sword is…" Tan Tan exposed a strange smile at the corner of his mouth. He was just about to speak, but he abruptly frowned instead. He then wrinkled his brows more and more tightly. He was experiencing a slight feeling of pain inside.

One must know that Tan Tan had the 'awakened consciousness' of the Devil King at present. And, it could give rise to a painful feeling in a person like him. In fact, it could clearly be seen that the pain was very severe.

"My spirit has split up." Tan Tan wrinkled his brows. Then, he softly said, "This era's consciousness is so strong… Wait a minute. Let me read it."

Chu Yang felt shocked in his heart. So, he didn't leave the least bit of time for Tan Tan, and closely interrogated, "You'll read? Will Tan Tan vanish as a result of this?"

Tan Tan frowned, and looked at Chu Yang, "Do you care so much?"

Chu Yang snorted overbearingly, and said, "Answer my question!"

Tan Tan became angry. He then slowly raised his eyebrows, and softly said, "You've dared to speak to me like that?" His voice was soft, but it was full of deadly vibes at the same time.

However, he just let out a stuffy snort after he had said this.

It could clearly be seen that the two bodies of conscious were fighting for the control of the body and mind. The Devil King hadn't faced any resistance from Tan Tan during the previous awakening. Or, perhaps… Tan Tan had also wanted to kill those people of the Ao Clan.

However, the Devil King was testing Tan Tan's threshold this time since Tan Tan faced Chu Yang.

It could be said that there weren't too many people who held value in Tan Tan's heart. However, Chu Yang and Meng Chao Ran were the most valuable people for him. And, Xie Dan Feng had also been added among them now.

However, the absolute thing was that Chu Yang had taken care of him since childhood. They both had grown up together, and they had learned martial arts together. So, their friendship was the deepest.

Tan Tan had been dependent on Chu Yang. He respected him. And, it was not without reason why Tan Tan almost worshipped Chu Yang.

This consciousness that had awakened now was full of hostility towards Chu Yang. So, how could Tan Tan allow it?

Therefore, Tan Tan had stimulated the fiercest resistance at this moment… Consequently, Tan Tan's consciousness seemed to have almost exploded with all his might. He was fighting, resisting, and struggling…

The pain that was coming from the depth of his soul was hard to withstand… even for the Devil King.

It was because the Devil King couldn't kill Tan Tan. After all, killing Tan Tan would be equal to killing himself.

Tan Tan deeply frowned. He had maintained an indifferent look on his face. But, beads of sweat were continuously seeping out and dripping down from the hair-line of his head.

A long time passed. Then, he gathered himself, and said a few words, "I won't kill him!"

Then, he gradually became tranquil after a while.

Chu Yang had been patiently waiting. He couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart as he looked at the situation. A heat had started to well up in his heart.

He recalled what Tan Tan had said to him some time ago, [Please kill me if a day comes when I'm unable to control myself.] Chu Yang couldn't help but feel warm in his heart as he recalled this sentence.

Tan Tan had anticipated this situation. Moreover, he had already made a request to Chu Yang regarding such a situation. However, Tan Tan's subconscious mind was protecting Chu Yang when this day had eventually arrived… even though Tan Tan couldn't control his own body.

Moreover, he was doing this with all his might.

"I want to have a discussion with you," Chu Yang said; softly yet firmly.

"You… want to have a discussion with me?" Tan Tan looked at Chu Yang with his ghostly black pupils. He then exposed a devilish smile from the corner of his mouth, and said, "I think there's nothing that we can talk about."

Chu Yang resolutely looked at him, and said, "But, I think there is!"

"A conversation between a King and a sword?! He-he, it's very strange!" Tan Tan muttered. Then, he suddenly sneered… He silently smiled as if he was mocking himself. He then said, "Alright! You and I will have a conversation."

Xie Dan Feng was nervously looking at Tan Tan. There were expressions of hesitation, fear, and longing in her eyes.

However, she hadn't spoken anything. She was only staring at him. She stubbornly pursed up her lips, and remained silent.

Tan Tan turned around, and looked at her. He felt like rebuking her without any reason. However, he went indescribably soft in his heart as he looked at Xie Dan Feng's pitiful appearance. He sighed, and then said in a soft voice, "You wait for me here."

He felt a contradiction in his heart as soon as he had spoken these words; so much so that he even regretted it, [I… When have I spoken in such a soft voice before? How many tens of thousands of years has it been?]

He recalled the last time he had spoken in such a soft voice to a woman. […to whom?]

In the past… there was the Queen of the Divine Clan. The Devil King felt that Xie Dan Feng vaguely resembled her. He remembered that she would silently look at him every time he would go out to fight someone. She wouldn't say a word… she would just quietly wait for him to come back.

[She wouldn't speak a word every time I would come back. However, I would feel that she had become relaxed.]

[She gradually started to speak less and less to me as my prestige grew day by day. She became increasingly cautious and solemn. But… I had liked her even though I hadn't spoken to her for so many years.]

[I've always wanted to make up to her for this. But, I hadn't gotten the opportunity to do so due to the wars on all fronts. I've kept this buried in my heart without having any better option. Each great tribe had been glaring at us like a tiger would watch its prey… The Three Stars Divine Clan had been in imminent danger. I was the King. So, I had to be extremely cautious. Besides, I had to practice my skills round the clock since I had to fiercely battle day in and day out.]

[Then, I had one day felt that there was no worthy-opponent for me in the entire universe. So, I had wanted to promise to her what I had already promised in my heart. However, an unreasonable madman had come at that time. And, he had folded the entire Nine Heavens…]

[That folding hadn't only buried millions of billions of living creatures, but it had also buried my clansmen and my lover.]

[I've awakened after ninety-thousand years. But, how would they possibly be found now?]

[Where would… that woman be whom I had longed for… for my whole life?]

[It doesn't matter if you go up to the heavens or down to the hell… It doesn't matter if you take thousands of incarnations… But… are you safe and sound?]

He couldn't help but look foolishly as he thought this. He thought it over, and felt as if his heart had become tender along with these gentle words he had spoken.

Xie Dan Feng heard these gentle words, and her lips quivered as she said, "You… are you Tan Tan?"

Tan Tan was startled. He wanted to say, [I'm not.] But, his heart quivered for a while, and he gloomily said, "I think… I should be."

He felt a little regret in his heart after he had said this.

[Why am I so tender-hearted at present?]

Xie Dan Feng was choking with emotions. She covered her eyes with her hands, and squatted down on the ground, "I just want… my Tan Tan…. that Tan Tan of mine… who had been protecting me in that moment of life and death just a while ago."

Tan Tan stared blankly for a long time. He finally sighed, and said to Chu Yang, "Follow me."

Chu Yang looked at Dong Wu Shang and Gu Du Xing. The two of them were looking at him anxiously. Then, he spoke-up to comfort them, "Relax." He thought for a while, and explained, "It has been three days, and Mo Tian Ji and Mo Clan haven't arrived yet. So, you must pay attention. Don't miss them."

Then, his voice hadn't even fallen when he felt his body rising high in the sky.

Tan Tan had grabbed Chu Yang. His spacious black robe flew up in the air. He looked like a huge black bat flying in the air. Then, he disappeared with a 'shua' sound.

Chu Yang only felt the sound of wind whooshing. And, the forest on both sides before his eyes suddenly disappeared without a trace. His body continuously rose upwards, and the ground under his feet became farther and farther. He couldn't keep his eyes open because of the strong wind blowing against his face.

Chu Yang opened his eyes after the sound of wind had settled. He then found that he had reached the summit of the nearest mountain peak.

This place was at least hundred kilometers away from the forest.

Tan Tan had brought Chu Yang by flying to such a far distance in just the blink of an eye. This speed was simply unimaginable!

Chu Yang lowered his head, and found that the hem of his black robe was issuing blue smoke because of the fierce friction of air.

A faint hair-burning smell was coming from it.

This smell made Chu Yang feel sick at his heart.

Chu Yang remembered that Wu Qian Qian had sewed her fine and long black hair in that with those beautiful words, [Chu Yang, Qian Qian loves you.]

He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. [That lovesick girl…]

Chu Yang had thought that he would put away that black robe when he had found those words… He wouldn't put any black robe on anymore.

However, he finally hadn't been able to suppress his heart.

[This was probably the last thing that Wu Qian Qian had given out of her affection. Can I be so cruel?]

Suddenly, Tan Tan's voice was heard… Chu Yang's heart trembled, and he lifted his head.

"I like discussing matters on the tallest places." Tan Tan carried both his hands behind his back, and stood tall. His long black hair was fluttering, and was spread around in a disheveled way. He then slightly narrowed his eyes, and insipidly said, "I feel that I can calmly observe the winds and clouds of the whole world under my feet by being at a high place."

Chu Yang slowly walked behind him, and then insipidly said, "It's not that you're the only one who likes this feeling. There are many people who stand here just to look at the natural scenery of the earth. However, some people stand here to paint this landscape in their heart, while some stand here so that they can reach out and touch the winds and clouds of the world."

Chu Yang smiled, "Which type are you?"

Tan Tan didn't have the least bit of expression on his face. He said, "I'm not any type."

Chu Yang mischievously laughed, and said, "I also like standing at high places. You and I are same in this regard. However, the difference between you and me is that you stand here to enjoy the loneliness and quietness on the top. On the other hand, I don't want to be lonely when I stand here… I want my brothers to stand here with me."

He calmly said, "Tan Tan, you're my junior disciple. You're my brother. We've grown up together since childhood. So, we are no less than blood brothers."

Tan Tan looked at the boundless ocean of clouds in front of him. He gazed upon them for a long time. It appeared as if he wasn't hearing what Chu Yang was saying. In fact, it seemed that he had heard everything but he had been deliberately ignoring it. He didn't speak a word.

Chu Yang continued, "I think you can understand what I mean."

"Oh?" Tan Tan said as he swept his vision at Chu Yang.

"This is not your body!" Chu Yang said, "I only want to ask you one thing for Tan Tan today. You… how can you leave this body? Tell me what your conditions to do so are!"

"This isn't my body?" Tan Tan pondered. He tried to comprehend for a long time. But then, he burst out into laughter, "You're mistaken. This is my body!"

He had the Divine Chi Gathering Fish with him. The Divine Chi Gathering Fish seemed to be going crazy at this moment. A steady flow of pure vital energy of the entire world was constantly concentrating here.

It took shape of a storm of spirit energy in the air in an instant!

Suddenly, mist surged up, and it completely covered the entire summit!

It seemed as if this entire mountain had gotten covered in a domain of dust.

….